The Rest of the 'Unbroken' Story (Part 2)

Townhall.com ^ | December 30, 2014 | Chuck Norris

[Kaslin]

Last week, I began to explain the spiritual power behind World War II prisoner of war hero Louis Zamperini, whose amazing life is retold in the movie "Unbroken." This week, I want to discuss what his adult children are saying about how his faith is portrayed in the movie and give further details to show just how deeply it permeated his life.

Movie viewers and pundits are debating Zamperini's spirituality and whether or not the movie depicts it accurately. Fox News asked, "Where's the rest of Louis Zamperini's story?" The Christian Broadcasting Network reported that the movie "does not portray his salvation experience during a 1949 Billy Graham crusade in Los Angeles."

At a media day for the movie, Zamperini's daughter, Cynthia Garris, explained that her father was fine with the compromised message in the film, saying, "He had a very specific philosophy about this film. If Jesus Christ came up in the film, if that was the message specifically, then it would be a film made for Christians, and other people may not want to see it if they're not ready to have that message."

She continued: "His philosophy was he wanted as many people to come and see the movie as possible. ... If they wanted to know more about how he got through it, how he survived it, they can investigate his faith further. ... He never wanted to preach at them. He wanted to live the example."

Unfortunately, Louis passed away before the final editing of the film. USA Today reported that Louis only watched "a lot of scenes" of "Unbroken." And according to a recent interview with Zamperini's son, Luke, by John W. Kennedy, the founder of The Creative Universe Entertainment, Louis "didn't see the entire film in its final cut."

At the media day, Luke explained just how pivotal his father's faith was: "Billy meant a whole lot to my dad. When he met Billy Graham and heard him speak, his life really changed for the better. Billy introduced my father to his Lord and savior, Jesus Christ, and that is what turned my father's life around finally and completely to a life of service and turned him into the happy, joyful person he was, after going through the post-traumatic stress disorder that he went through during and after World War II."

Luke wrote in a column: "It was only when, at the urging of my mother, he attended a Billy Graham crusade in 1949 and surrendered his life to Jesus Christ that my father truly became unbroken. The nightmares stopped. So did the drinking. And he dedicated the rest of his life to serving others -- especially wayward kids, through the establishment of his nonprofit organization, Victory Boys Camp Inc."

The fact that both of Zamperini's children recently entered the debate about the film's spiritual accuracy shows me that something was amiss. So I sought "the rest of the story" for myself, and I was surprised to discover just how bold and faith-filled Zamperini really was.

He shared his inspiring Christian testimony at several of Graham's crusades, including one in San Francisco (1958) and one in Los Angeles (1963). In June 2011, he visited Graham at his home in Montreat, North Carolina.

Here's another example of how Zamperini expressed his faith over the decades: "I believe it with all my heart that 'all things work together for good for those who love the Lord -- for those who are called according to His purpose.' Christ told us in the Scriptures, 'I am the way. I am the truth. And I am the life. He that cometh to me I will in nowise cast out.' Christ is the way to God. ... People are always seeking truth. Well, the truth is Christ. ... Our eternal life starts now by faith in Jesus Christ. And so that is the strength we live by, and death no longer has a sting, not to the Christian."

Even death lost its war against Zamperini, when he put in for his change of address to heaven July 2. Far from those Japanese war camps, he's now enjoying a heavenly mansion, where there's no longer any pain, grief or sorrow.

As Graham eloquently explained in his latest book, "Nearing Home," "we were not meant for this world alone. We were meant for Heaven, our final home. Heaven is our destiny, and Heaven is our joyous hope."

The triumph of Zamperini's Christian redemption remains the epic moment in his earthly life. That fact is what prompted Kenneth Turan, a teacher at the University of Southern California who reviews movies for the Los Angeles Times and NPR, to offer this recent critique: "In real life, Zamperini's postwar story has a tremendous ending. He endures years of alcoholism and PTSD before a religious awakening, inspired by Billy Graham, changes his life. Yet the film relegates this drama to a few brief seconds of text on-screen. This decision wreaks havoc with the story's equilibrium, making 'Unbroken' into a drama about torture, not redemption. The result is a film we respect more than love, and that's a wasted opportunity."

I saw "Unbroken" after writing last week's column. The movie ends upon Zamperini's return home from captivity in Japan. The film is not about his PTSD or years of alcoholism or his conversion to Christianity. That is another story.

To ensure that moviegoers understand the full impact of Zamperini's faith, the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association released its own version of his life Dec. 25, "Louis Zamperini: Captured by Grace." To watch a preview or order the DVD, go to http://billygraham.org/landingpages/unbroken/?source=BT14CYZMP.

[Gay State Conservative]

I've seen TV ads for this film but when I saw that it was directed by Anglina Jolie I thought “nothing involving that lightweight can be worthwhile”.Am I wrong to believe that? Can anyone who's seen it recommend it to me?

[yldstrk]

My dad was child prisoner in a concentration camp. He lived in China in 1939 in the European community with his brother and parents. Because they were Belgian, they were ordered into a camp.

He told more of the story on Christmas: when they were first in the camp, it was filthy and disgusting, the nuns and priests started working in the mornings and worked all day cleaning. The nuns and priests organized a school. They all waited in hopes that the Americans would rescue them. And after three years the Americans came.

My dad said being in the camps was the first time he saw Christianity in action through the hard work and determination of those priests and nuns.

[GreyFriar]

Zamperini Ping,

There is also part one of this at townhall.com

[Hostage]

There should be another film ‘Unbroken Part II’. Maybe Chuck Norris can get it done.

[rfreedom4u]

I have not seen the movie but I have read the book. It is an amazing story. From the previews I’ve seen a few inaccuracies compared to the book.

I believe his finding Jesus was the pivotal moment in his life and it should have been given more attention in the movie.

[Hostage]

Yes, you figured her wrong. Reports are that she is coming around to Christ because she consented to pray with Zamperini during the final shoot when a storm threatened to scuttle everything.

She’s also braved a lot of liberal Hollywood backlash.

Give her a chance on her journey. Just like John Lennon was starting to wake up and warm to Christ shortly before his death, Angelina appears a late bloomer to Christ.

The movie is excellent, very well done.

I am hoping there will be a Part II film made that addresses the rest of the story.

If anything though, this leaving out of Christ shows how terrified some people are inside Hollywood of ever mentioning Christ. There is an underground there. Not sure what to make of it.

I’ve read that Jolie definitely deserves an award for her directing of Unbroken but the unPC and Christian overtures of the film will likely cause liberal Hollywood to reject her from consideration.

[rrrod]

your wrong...solid movie wi th a good message.

[Guenevere]

Agree......The movie is well worth seeing, and there are Christian overlays blended in the film, especially when Zamperini is awash at sea.

The Graham folks have already done a ‘rest of the story’ video.....

.....and I think it’s a measure of confidence that Franklin Graham supports this movie.

God doesn’t waste anything, and He indeed works in mysterious ways.....and I defintely think he’s working in Angelina’s life via Louis Zamperini.

She may not get accolades from Hollywood, but folks are flocking to see the movie, and our theater was near full Sunday afternoon.

[Arlis]

EXCELLENT IDEA!

Yes, we should pray for that to be done.........

[Shery]

I felt the same way, but my husband says that she is more a conservative than a Hollywood liberal. I know her dad is still working on her, so to speak. I know that Pitt’s mother is a believer. Maybe we should be praying for their salvation and encouraging good movies. At least this is not a typical Hollywood film that destroys the entire truth and replaces it with their own narrative.

[trebb]

Can anyone who's seen it recommend it to me?

Chuck Norris seemed to be giving at least a tacit approval - should be good enough an endorsement...

[Michael.SF.]

I will take that question.

I did read the book and was very much looking forward to the movie, which I saw Sunday. I was not disappointed.

There are, in essence, five Louis Zampareni stories :

1) The punk kid and petty thief who became a high school, collegiate and US Olympic athlete
2) The WWII bombardier who survived a plane crash and 43 days at sea adrift in a life raft.
3) The POW singled out for brutality, on an almost daily basis, by a cruel and sick prison guard.
4) The POW survivor who found solace in the bottle and nearly ruined his life.
5) The alcoholic who found salvation in Christ and turned his life around.

The movie does a short, but accurate take on part 1, goes into some detail on part 2, but has two minor inaccuracies (vs. the book) and focuses on Part 3, which is rather detailed and appears to be accurate, though not as detailed (as is expected) when compared to the book.

The two minor flaws mentioned: He was not saved by a Japanese ship, they landed on a Japanese held island and when first captured he was treated humanely by his captors, even received some medical attention. Again, both those flaws are very minor.

For those who chose not to see the movie because of the director: You are missing an excellent movie. Watch it from Redbox in 6 months.

For those focused on the omission of Part 5, that cannot be told w/o telling part 4, which then comes from part 3. There is only so much that can be told in 2.5 hours (or so). I do hope parts 4 and 5 are told, but they likely will not be.

One note, I saw the movie with 12 other people (USC Alumni event), several had read the book as well. The biggest complaint of the group, during the post movie discussion, was that USC was not even mentioned! That fact makes the other complaints mentioned above seem major in comparison.

By all means, go see the movie.

[Michael.SF.]

PS.I should have added:

Parts 4 and 5 are mentioned in a post script at the end of the movie, so they are not totally ignored.

[TurboZamboni]

Thanks for the summation. I liked the book and will see the film.

[zot]

Thanks for the Zamperini ping. I’m sorry that the movie left out this major part of his story.

[hinckley buzzard]

Yes. I recommend it. The story stands on its own, notwithstanding that there was more to Louie's life after the war.